Google is rolling out a new feature in its Gmail app for Android and iOS that uses artificial intelligence to summarize long email conversations. According to a report by Android Police, the summaries now appear automatically for selected users without needing to enable the Gemini assistant manually.
The summaries show up at the top of emails with lengthy or complex threads, especially those involving multiple replies. Gemini uses the message structure to determine when a summary is useful, presenting the key points as bullet notes that update as new replies come in.
Initially, the feature is available to Google Workspace users, Gemini Education add-on users, and Google One subscribers with the AI Premium plan. It only supports emails written in English and is currently limited to mobile versions of Gmail.
For users concerned about privacy or AI usage, opting out is possible. However, turning off this feature requires disabling Gmail’s smart features entirely. Doing so will also remove access to tools like smart reply, writing suggestions, and package tracking.
The summaries are powered by large language models (LLMs), the same type of AI behind chatbots and other generative tools. These models scan the conversation content to deliver concise overviews. Google may also use anonymized data to further refine its AI technologies.
“Disabling this feature means giving up smart tools like priority notifications, smart reply, and writing help,” said a Google spokesperson, emphasizing the trade-offs users face when opting out.
Though Google has not shared a release date for personal Gmail accounts or the web version, this update signals continued AI integration in Gmail, particularly for users handling high volumes of email on mobile devices.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
